Be The Change You Want to See in the World

If you haven't already read it,

I highly recommend

Half the Sky

by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn.

It's a factual and informative book

detailing the many forms of oppression

that women and girls experience in developing countries.

It also introduces us to home-grown organizations

around the world that are making an impact

in redressing the wrongs on a local scale.

You can find projects to support

that address issues such as:

midwifery and maternal health

empowerment of women through job training and microloans

eliminating sex-trafficking of young girls for prostitution

helping educate girls, which reduces rates of early pregnancy,

provides a way out of poverty, and breeds a new generation

of women to educate and inspire their communities

and provide menstrual supplies to girls so they don't have
to miss school on a cyclical basis.

I've given Christmas gifts in honor of my parents

who have always been committed to activism
to achieve social justice.

I've put my money into job training for Afghan women,

helping to build a shelter for former prostitutes in India,

and into purchasing midwifery tools for a new midwife

just completing her training in Africa.

The book (and their charitable organization)
will lead you to organizations that allow you

to choose someone to sponsor for microloans,

to pick someone to provide monthly support to.

As Martha Stewart would say,

It's a Good Thing.

Read it and be the change

you want to see in the world.

p.s. Don't forget Rebecca's shrine auction project

to benefit education of Oaxaca's street kids.

You can click on the link on my sidebar
to find THE SHRINE PROJECT 

if the one above doesn't work.